The Ferrari 488 GTB Awarded Motor Trend’s “Best Driver’s 2017”

It’s rare that any vehicle receives Motor Trend Best Driver’s Car as a descendant of another model that has also won this title. For the Ferrari 488 GTB, it has done just that. A successor to the award-winning Ferrari 458 Italia, the 488 GTB continues to raise the bar in drivability and speed.

Winning the 2017 Best Driver’s Car award from Motor Trend is the most recent award to adorn the Ferrari 488 GTB’s trophy case. In addition to this award, the Ferrari twin turbo V-8’s other awards have included 2016 Supercar of the Year awards from both Top Gear Magazine and Robb Report UK, Red Dot’s Best of the Best, Golden Steering Wheel Award from Auto Bild, Best Supercar 2016 from the Sunday Times, and Best Supercar from Wheels “Car of the Year Awards” 2016. The same year, the Autocar Awards also named the Ferrari 488 GTB Britain’s Best Driver’s Car.

Easily one of the best cars on the market, it doesn’t just display awards of excellence to prove its importance. What’s under the hood is what impresses the most. Boasting a new 3.9-liter twin turbo V8 engine, capable of going 0-60 mph in only 2.7 seconds with a maximum speed of 205 mph, this mid-rear engine Ferrari is unstoppable, except of course with its carbon-ceramic breaks. With 661 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque, the Ferrari GTB is able to carefully control boost levels when engaged in lower engine speed. This allows the spooling of the turbos while keeping the acceleration linear and the driver grinning from ear to ear. In nominating the Ferrari 488 GTB as its Best Driver’s Car, Motor Trend celebrates those characteristics Ferraristi recognize and demand: excellence in terms of driving pleasure, usable performance, razor-sharp responses, and great handling. In other words, the quintessential sports car.

How can a car this powerful be this easy to drive? It has the most horsepower in this group, and it takes some bravery to floor it for the first time. This thing has limits way beyond what I’m capable of, but that doesn’t make it any less fun at lower limits. This is a car that makes you feel like a superhero. – Motor Trend

It was amazing how it just pinned me back in the seat. It just felt so good, like if you could take the seatbelt right out of the car then it wouldn’t matter while you’re accelerating because you’re pinned to the seat. It feels really, really good. The engine is an absolute home run—it’s just unbelievable. – Motor Trend